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Context. Electron-capture on 7Be is the main production channel for 7Li in several astrophysical environments. Theoretical evaluations have to account for not only the nuclear interaction, but also the processes in the plasma in which 7Be ions and electrons interact. In recent decades several estimates were presented, pointing out that the theoretical uncertainty in the rate is in general of a few percent. Aims. In the framework of fundamental solar physics, we consider a recent evaluation for the 7Be+e− rate, which has not been used up to now, in the estimate of neutrino fluxes. Methods. We analyzed the effects of the new assumptions on standard solar models (SSMs) and compared the results obtained by adopting the revised 7Be+e− rate to those obtained by that reported in a widely used compilation of reaction rates (ADE11). Results. We found that new SSMs yield a maximum difference in the efficiency of the 7Be channel of about −4% with respect to what is obtained with the previously adopted rate. This fact affects the production of neutrinos from 8B, increasing the relative flux up to a maximum of 2.7%. Negligible variations are found for the physical and chemical properties of the computed solar models. Conclusions. The agreement with the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory measurements of the neutral current component of the 8B neutrino flux is improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the last years the 1 9 F (p , α) 1 6 O and the 1 9 F(α ,p) 2 2 Ne reactions have been studied via the Trojan Horse Method in the energy range of interest for astrophysics. These are the first experimental data available for the main channels of 1 9 F destruction that entirely cover the energy regions typical of the stellar H- and He- burning. In both cases the reaction rates are significantly larger than the previous estimations available in the literature. We present here a re-analysis of the fluorine nucleosynthesis in Asymptotic Giant Branch stars by employing in state-of-the-art models of stellar nucleosynthesis the THM reaction rates for 1 9 F destruction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. The charged-particle induced reactions on lithium have been studied by several works. In particular, several direct measurements of the 7Li(p, α)4He reaction have been performed to extrapolate its low-energy astrophysical S (E)-factor and evaluate the electron screening potential, Ue. Aims. In view of recent direct measurements, we discuss our estimate of the bare-nucleus S (E)-factor and an evaluation of the corresponding reaction rate. Moreover, we present the extracted electron screening potential. Methods. The Trojan Horse method (THM) allows us to measure the 7Li(p, α)4 He bare-nucleus S (E)-factor down to energies of ∼10 keV, rendering unnecessary the extrapolation procedure typically used by the direct measurements. The 7Li(p, α)4He S (E)-factor is deduced from the 2H(7Li, α 4He)n reaction by selecting the quasi-free contribution to the reaction yield. The planewave impulse approximation has proved an effective approach as distortions appear negligible. Results. The THM enable us to measure the 7Li(p, α)4He S (E)-factor over the energy region of interest for astrophysics, namely 0.01 < Ecm < 0.4 MeV. The zero-energy S (E)-factor and the Ue electron screening potential have been measured and compared with the available direct data. From the TH measure of the 7Li(p, α)4He S (E)-factor, the reaction rate calculation has been performed in correspondence with the temperature window of 0.01 < T9 < 2, which is typical of several astrophysical sites where Li burning could shed light on some open questions, such as mixing phenomena. A variation of ∼13%, with respect the adopted NACRE one, has been found at temperatures of about T9 = 10-3, while a variation of ∼5% has been found at higher temperatures. By considering in the calculation the upper and lower limits to the TH reaction rate, no significant variation in the Li abundances of low mass giant stars follows or, if any modification occurs, this is negligible in comparison to the uncertainties in the free parameters considered in the extra-mixing model of Palmerini and collaborators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We reanalyze the problem of Li abundances in red giants of nearly solar metallicity. After outlining the problems affecting our knowledge of the Li content in low-mass stars (M ≤ 3 M⊙), we discuss deep-mixing models for the red giant branch stages suitable to account for the observed trends and for the correlated variations of the carbon isotope ratio; we find that Li destruction in these phases is limited to masses below about 2.3 M⊙. Subsequently, we concentrate on the final stages of evolution for both O-rich and C-rich asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars. Here, the constraints on extra-mixing phenomena previously derived from heavier nuclei (from C to Al), coupled to recent updates in stellar structure models (including both the input physics and the set of reaction rates used), are suitable to account for the observations of Li abundances below A(Li) - log ∈(Li) ≃ 1.5 (and sometimes more). Also, their relations with other nucleosynthesis signatures of AGB phases (like the abundance of F, and the C/O and 12C/13C ratios) can be explained. This requires generally moderate efficiencies (Ṁ ≲ 0.3-0.5 x 10-6 M⊙ yr-1) for non-convective mass transport. At such rates, slow extra mixing does not remarkably modify Li abundances in early AGB phases; on the other hand, faster mixing encounters a physical limit in destroying Li, set by the mixing velocity. Beyond this limit, Li starts to be produced; therefore, its destruction on the AGB is modest. Li is then significantly produced by the third dredge up. We also show that effective circulation episodes, while not destroying Li, would easily bring the 12C/13C ratios to equilibrium, contrary to the evidence in most AGB stars, and would burn F beyond the limits shown by C(N) giants. Hence, we do not confirm the common idea that efficient extra mixing drastically reduces the Li content of C stars with respect to K-M giants. This misleading appearance is induced by biases in the data, namely: (1) the difficulty of measuring very low Li abundances in O-rich AGB stars due to the presence of TiO bands and (2) the fact that many, relatively massive (M > 3 M⊙) K- and M-type giants may remain Li-rich, not evolving to the C-rich stages. Efficient extra mixing on the AGB is instead typical of very low masses (M ≲ 1.5 M⊙). It also characterizes CJ stars, where it produces Li and reduces F and the carbon isotope ratio, as observed in these peculiar objects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a recent study based on homogeneous barium abundance measurements in open clusters (OCs), a trend of increasing [Ba/Fe] ratios for decreasing cluster age was reported. We present here further abundance determinations, relative to four other elements having important s-process contributions, with the aim of investigating whether or not the growth found for [Ba/Fe] is indicative of a general property, shared also by the other heavy elements formed by slow neutron captures. In particular, we derived abundances for yttrium, zirconium, lanthanum, and cerium, using equivalent width measurements and the MOOG code. Our sample includes 19 OCs of different ages, for which the spectra were obtained by the ESO Very Large Telescope using the UVES spectrometer. The growth previously suggested for Ba is confirmed for all the elements analyzed in our study. This fact implies significant changes in our views of the Galactic chemical evolution for elements beyond iron. Our results necessarily require that very low mass asymptotic giant branch stars (M … 1.5 M⊙) produce larger amounts of s-process elements (and hence activate the 13C-neutron source more effectively) than previously expected. Their role in producing neutron-rich elements in the Galactic disk has been so far underestimated, and their evolution and neutron-capture nucleosynthesis should now be reconsidered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nuclear reactions play a key role in the framework of the Big Bang Nucleosynthesis. A network of 12 principal reactions has been identified as the main path that drove the elemental nucleosynthesis in the first 20 min of the history of the Universe. Among them an important role is played by neutron-induced reactions, which, from an experimental point of view, are usually a difficult task to be measured directly. Nevertheless big efforts in the last decades have led to a better understanding of their role in the primordial nucleosynthesis network. In this work we apply the Trojan Horse Method to extract the cross section at astrophysical energies for the 3 He (n,p) 3 H reaction after a detailed study of the 2 H ( 3 He ,pt)H three-body process. Data extracted from the present measurement are compared with other published sets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]